House Emberfall
:For the story sharing this name, see House Emberfall (Story). House Emberfall is a heavy roleplaying guild on the Horde faction of the Earthen Ring server. The guild's themes are power, corruption, and greed, in an atmosphere of espionage, militarism, intellectualism, and cultism. =General Information= Roleplay Concept Silvermoon has been accepted into the Horde. The nobility of the city interplays with Regent Lord Lor'Themar Theron and his appointed officials, providing land, soldiers, money, and other support, in return for power and prestige in the blood elf city, and the Horde, in general. House Emberfall is one of these political groups. Began in Dalaran during the time of the Silvermoon's ties with the Alliance, the house was dissolved during the Third War. The last 'surviving' member of the house, a Forsaken woman named Lilithia, has made claim to the house's remaining assets and has been recognized by the Silvermoon courts, however minor--or ill-gotten--the recognition may be. The resources and weight of the house have been publicly put toward the strengthening and defense of the Horde, and "Margravine" Emberfall displays a zealous dedication when fighting for the faction. House Emberfall's rhetoric often speaks of the glory of the Horde, the unity of its kingdoms and clans, and the need to crush its enemies. House Emberfall considers the Burning Legion, the Scourge, and any elements which intend to 'weaken' the Horde to be enemies that must be subdued or purged. Though none of the causes preached by the house are lies, the reasons and means are spoken of only in shadowed rooms and behind closed doors. The inner circle of the house seeks a world controlled for the good of itself, while allowing its inhabitants enough free will to continue its existence and grow--under careful watch--to become stronger and, if so deserving, more independent. There is no act which House Emberfall will not carry out in its self-proclaimed duty as guardians of Azeroth. House leadership believes in the use of coercion, the right of the sword, and dominating and guiding the weak. House Emberfall's inner ranks see the organization as more of a natural force--the concepts of good and evil are irrelevant as they seize and mold all around them to create a stronger world. If it can be imagined and done, it must be. Play Style House Emberfall focuses on character-oriented roleplay. Gameplay is centered around character interaction and developing a guild community. Contrary to the roleplay concept of the guild, House Emberfall exists to give a friendly and fun environment for its players to explore their characters and roleplay on the server. PvE and PvP content are done with roleplaying twists and elements, continually immersing the players in the guild RP environment. Players are brought into the guild through roleplay, are supported by guild roleplay activities and a rank system, and are encouraged to always seek ways to act through their characters. Recruiting House Emberfall often seeks those of loose morals, or those driven by duty. To the house, morals are personal weaknesses that impede neutral judgement, and those lacking them are freeing themselves of the burdens and acting with a clear mind. However, duty and loyalty to the house's causes are valued traits, as House Emberfall needs nothing less but the strength to control Azeroth, and the will and dedication to do so in the world's 'best interests.' Whether those working for or in the house use swords, spells, subterfuge, or silver tongues, House Emberfall values their work and the skills they bring. After all, it is the end that is important, and not the means. Also, the ability to know when not to ask questions is prized by the House. Those that simply carry out their jobs and trust in the provided reasons and rewards find themselves favored (if at least safe) so long as those members are deemed useful and dedicated. Recruiting is done through work for the house, or those that find various distributed fliers and propaganda. Those interested in working closely with and/or joining House Emberfall are instructed to work with current members and associates before formalizing their ties through contracts and rituals. Applications are required for all new members. More information may be found at the following URL: http://www.houseemberfall.com/forums/index.php?board=14.0 =History= Before and During the Third War The original House Emberfall was a small family and its relations of moderate influence in the city of Dalaran, effectively placing them in the magocracy's middle class of nobles. The Emberfall family was known for its fire mages and assisted the Kirin Tor' tireless magical research. From an early age family members were expected to show aptitude in the pyromatic arts. Coranasus P. Emberfall, the last mortal head of the family, was one of many assistants to Archmage Allistarj, a prestigious--though prolific--duty. During the years before the severance of the Emberfall line the house held orchards in Hillsbrad, two horse ranches in the Arathi Highlands, and invested in small precious metal mining operations throughout the Eastern Kingdoms. The ventures paid off well, allowing for the house to amass a considerable savings. Upon the death of Coranasus and its heads, and the loss of most rightful heirs in conflict, thereafter, the city administration dissolved the house and claimed default custody of all its possessions. That which was once the house's properties disintegrated as the Third War ravaged the Eastern Kingdoms. The defunct house's properties were in ruin, or appropriated with a majority of the house coffers by Alliance authorities. The families once part of House Emberfall were scattered or extinguished in the turmoil of the times, and the house's history of the brutal deaths of the heads and the disappearance of their estranged daughter became another event in a long list of tragedies during the Scourge invasion. Post-Third War Interest in the Emberfall line was rekindled with the appearance of Lilithia. The Forsaken woman claimed to be Lilithia Elianas Emberfall, the only member of the family whose body was not found in the house's burnt manor. Seeking her birthrights, the undead noble appealed to Dalaran for the return of her family's properties and restitution for earnings lost to the Alliance during their seizure. Lilithia's letters to the magocracy were quickly dismissed as either a hoax, or the attempts of an abomination to reclaim that to which it no longer had rights. Through research, Lilithia discovered an unclosed account, grown fat with interest, in Silvermoon under the Emberfall house's name. However, only a representative from House Emberfall with proper documents of peerage could lay claim to the money. Eager to for wealth and power, Lilithia schemed to find a way into Dalaran, steal the paperwork and deeds of her deceased family, seek recognition by the noble courts of Silvermoon, and restore House Emberfall to establish her political power in Horde. Wishing not to risk her wellbeing in such a theft, she exercised her dark contacts and located an agent of the Grey Tiger Tong to retrieve the documents. After having lined many pockets with gold, fulfilled several favors, and left several other favors to be repaid in the future, House Emberfall was acknowledged by Silvermoon. House Emberfall evolved greatly after its resurrection. Still carefully holding a position within Silvermoon, the political climate in the increasingly Light follower-filled city resulted in a more diverse set of holdings, and a slight change in operations. Lady Emberfall took an extended leave of absence from much of the day to day concerns of the House and Sin'Dorei politics, spending much of her time in her lab deep within the belly of the Undercity instead. Her Seneschal, Bereave, took over many of these duties in the Lady's absence. Better at political games and book keeping than true leadership, and more interested in her experiments than vassals, a number of those who had taken a blood oath to the House were able to leave the House with little immediate consequence under the Senechal's lax rule. The events in Northrend, and the repercussions, greatly affected the house. Seeking to raise a force to quell the chaos of the world, Lilithia returned with a drive for conquest, power, and knowledge. Propaganda began, and the house sought recruits to restore order and strength to the Horde at whatever costs. Present Upon hitting the shores of Northrend, House Emberfall began its battle against the Scourge, as well as turning its eyes to within the ranks of the Horde. The Royal Apoethecary Society and their dangerous experiments are considered a threat to the stability of Azeroth, and the house is investigating their activities in the wild northern frontiers. Conversely, those that threaten to withdraw or lose their resolve in the Horde because of the Society's activities are also of concern to House Emberfall, and "traitors" are hunted for their wavering loyalties. Additionally, Dalaran has become a problem, as the city was the house's original home, and trouble is on the horizon.